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Archive for May 17th, 2021

Fauci: Slim majority of NIH employees have been vaxed…

May 17, 2021

Finally, an answer to a question that I’ve been asking.
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Frankly, when it comes to vaccine efficacy & safety, I don’t find testimonials from politcos, Hollywood celebs or sports stars to be very compelling.

The relevant info, in my opinion, comes from doctors and subject matter scientists: Have they (and their immediate family) been vaccinated? If yes, which brand of vaccine?

I’ve been frustrated getting credible numbers re: healthcare professionals. Best guess: 60% overall, 70% front line, 80% doctors.

See Why have so few healthcare workers been vaccinated?

And, there has been a data void re: employees at NIH or the CDC.

That is until now.

Last week, during a hearing, Sen. Burr asked Fauci and Wolensky a direct question: How many employees in your agencies have been vaccinated?

I wouldn’t think that there would be any vax-hesitants walking those halls…. so, I’d expect the number to be near 100%.

WRONG!

When asked, Fauci stammered, then said “a little more than half”.

What?

That’s barely about the national average (which includes the media- labeled “Neanterthal Trump supporters”)

Wolensky ducked the question: ‘There’s no Federal requirement for us to collect and report those numbers”.

Anybody remember Gore’s “There’s no controlling authority” defense for taking foreign campaign contributions?

English translation: “An embarrassingly low number.”

Here’s the 1-minute clip of the Q&A exchange.

For sure, the clip won’t find it’s way into any vax- inspirational PSAs.

But, it’s gotta give pause to people yet to be vaccinated if the vaccine is being shunned by a statistically significant number scientists who are working on the vaccines and constantly pouring over the data re: efficacy and safety.

Do they know something that they’re not telling us?

Hmm…

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P.S. I’m fully vaccinated (Moderna) … and don’t regret my decision. Now, I’m rooting for high mRNA vaccination rates, but not holding my breath.

Posted in COVID - vaccine, Fauci, Dr. Anthony | 1 Comment »

Why aren’t more healthcare workers getting vaccinated?

May 17, 2021

Specifically, what’s the percentage of doctors who have gotten vaccinated?
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Let’s start with a basic fact: Frontline healthcare workers (very broadly defined) — along with long-term care patients — were the top priority for initial (and continuing) covid vaccinations.

But, according to a recent KFF-Washington Post survey …

Despite their first-dibs on the vaccines, only a 52% slim majority of “frontline healthcare workers” have gotten vaccinated.

That’s hardly a mobilizing inspiration for folks who are still unvaccinated, so let’s drill down on the numbers.

According to the KFF-WaPo survey, the combined vaccination rate for healthcare workers varies widely by it’s component parts.

Only about 40% of administrative and “patient care” healthcare workers have gotten vaccinated.

But, about 7 in 10 “diagnosis & treatment” professionals (think: doctors & nurses) have gotten vaccinated.

The latter is an important number since doctors and nurses (a) have had ready access to the vaccine (b) are most likely to be frequently and directly exposed to covid, and (c) should be the most “in the know” re: the vaccines efficacy & safety.

So, the pivotal question: Is 70% a high number that should inspire confidence or a hard ceiling on the percentage of the broad population’s likelihood of getting vaccinated?

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Anecdotally, whenever I bump into a doc, I ask if they’ve been vaccinated, which brand, what about their staffs”?

So far, in my very small sample, all docs have been vaccinated (Pfizer or Moderna), as have the clear majority of their staffs.

Among the vax-hesitant staffers, the resistance rationales: (1) current workplace protocols have, for a year, kept them from being infected so why fret now? (b) their personal health considerations prevail (e.g. immune system disorders, current or hoped-for pregnancies ) and (c) they “wait & see” uncertainties about the long-run effects of the vaccines.

The latter could be a bit worrisome: Do they know something that we don’t know?

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For what it’s worth …

I’d like to see the numbers broken down by “doctors only” and all other “prescribers & treaters”.

In fact, expecting the doc’s number to be closer to 100%, it (along with a parade of doc testimonials) should be center-stage in an marketing program to cut vax-hesitancy.

That would be more compelling than a showcase of politicos and celebrities.